


Merry and Bright, Changed but All Right

by RoonilWazlibMalfoy



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Christmas, F/F, Family Bonding, M/M, Post-Divorce, Slice of Life
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-31
Updated: 2019-12-31
Packaged: 2021-02-27 05:22:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,404
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22051720
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RoonilWazlibMalfoy/pseuds/RoonilWazlibMalfoy
Summary: A slice of life Christmas story where there's nothing to worry about, but Harry is worried anyway.
Relationships: Harry Potter/Severus Snape, Luna Lovegood/Ginny Weasley
Comments: 2
Kudos: 68
Collections: Snarry Christmas Pre-2020





	Merry and Bright, Changed but All Right

**Author's Note:**

> This was written for the Hogwarts Facebook group story prompt challenge for December 2019, prompt #1. 
> 
> It really is just a slice of life. Nothing terribly exciting here! Lol I like to think that there are a few funny moments and a good bit of fluffy cuteness along the way. And really, it's kind of nice to see Harry peacefully settled. Let's be honest, he's had a rough life.

Harry Potter was currently the most stressed he had ever been. When he was younger and doing typical young person things, like fighting a basilisk or inadvertently resurrecting Voldemort, there was always a chance that he might die, but this... this could make his children hate him. 

"Stop it. Whatever you're thinking, stop it now," a low voice spoke from the kitchen doorway. 

"I'm not thinking anything, Severus," he said in a frantic tone. "I'm just cleaning these... escargot forks?"

"You have never had escargot in your life and I'm fairly certain you're not planning to start today. Where did you even find those?" Severus asked incredulously. He crossed the room, removed the offending forks from Harry's hands, and set them aside, wrapping his arms around Harry. 

Harry relaxed slightly in Severus' arms, leaning his head against his shoulder. "I just want them to be happy. I want nothing to have changed," he mumbled into Severus' dark woolen sweater. 

"Harry, everything has changed, but that does not mean that we can't all be happy."

It had been over a year since he and Ginny had split up, although the kids had known about it for slightly less time than that. Last year Christmas had been spent together, breakfast in their cozy home and dinner at The Burrow. There had been a tension to the whole affair in Harry's mind, but they hadn't wanted to mess up Christmas for the children. 

After the New Year and before the kids went back to Hogwarts, he and Ginny had sat them down and explained things to them. That both he and Ginny loved them and that they loved each other in a way, but that things weren't the same for them anymore and they'd be happier better parents if they were apart. They explained that no one had cheated, that they weren't angry, and that they'd still be a family. They'd always be a family. 

It had broken Harry's heart, but he knew it was for the best. The kids had taken it remarkably well. It helped them, he was sure, to know that he and Ginny were still friends and they could still do things together. In fact, they were better friends now than they had been in years. They could enjoy one another's company now without the tension of arguments about household chores or the hurt of a night of failed sex. When they had both started dating other people eight months ago, they'd even gone on a few double dates. 

Now Harry was happily settled with Severus in Grimmauld Place and Ginny with Luna in their old house. At this point, no one was really questioning their split, other than to wonder why it hadn't happened sooner and to question how two gay people had managed to produce three lovely children from their ill-fated union. It really was a nice arrangement. Their family hadn't really split, it had just grown, both in numbers and in happiness. 

Harry wasn't even sure why he was stressing so hard about the holidays. He just had a lot of unpleasant memories of Christmases past and he never wanted his children to feel that kind of strain. He recalled watching Dudley open gift after gift while Harry was locked away in his cupboard. He recalled later years of being sent a tiny gift of his own, the only one from his family, containing a single Kleenex one year, a pair of Vernon's old socks another. He knew in his mind that his own children would never have any experience close to that. But his heart still worried that splitting his family like they had would make their Christmas an unhappy one. 

A few hours later Harry wasn't sure why he'd ever worried at all. Ginny and Luna had flooed over with the children and they'd all had omelets and bacon and toast with sweet rhubarb jam for brunch. There was pumpkin juice for the children and rich dark coffee for the adults (and if they splashed a bit of Irish cream in, no one was complaining about it). 

Best of all, there was a lot of laughter and joy around their table. Severus gleefully told how Harry had been compulsively scrubbing a set of escargot forks. Harry was gratified when Luna had a similar story about Ginny frantically repairing a set of ancient and decrepit snowshoes before they flooed out of their house, feet never coming close to touching snow. Both Harry and Ginny were able to happily laugh along even as they leaned sheepishly against their respective partners. 

James, Albus, and Lily were especially delighted to find that now, instead of gifts from one set of parents, they got gifts from two sets. James got a new broom and quidditch gloves; Albus a fancy potions set, some rare ingredients, and a promise from Severus to work on experimental potions with him; Lily recieved her first broom and a set of quidditch books. They all got new bedding for their dorm rooms and nice new robes, a few novelty wizarding toys that flew or crawled about the room on their own, and plenty of sweets. 

After gifts were exchanged, they all settled back to enjoy the rest of the day, idly playing with their new things and making plans for the new year. Lily sat on Harry's lap for a bit and he found himself so grateful for the snuggles. He had been afraid that he'd miss out on this, and he couldn't say how glad he was that his fears were unfounded. Ginny and James sat talking about quidditch strategy for hours. Severus and Albus, the only Slytherins in the house, sat in a corner plotting. Or maybe just talking about potions theory. Harry was fairly sure that either was likely. Maybe both, he thought with a chuckle. Luna fluttered around the room, charming discarded wrapping paper to dance its way to the bin and amusing everyone with her odd little comments. It was an absolutely lovely day.

Later that evening, the rest of their guests began arriving. Molly and Arthur, bearing all sorts of fruit pies and a treacle tart; Minerva McGonnagall, bearing good Irish whiskey. George and Angelina, Percy and Penelope, and Ron and Hermione all arrived in short order. Charlie was one of the last to arrive with a sack full of gifts and a tray of Romanian cheeses. All of the children arrived with their parents, bringing little gifts and chocolates for one another. The adults had all come with delicious looking food: green bean casserole, mashed potato and gravy, macaroni and cheese, deviled eggs. Everyone was ready for feasting on good food and enjoying the love and joy of the family surrounding them. 

Severus had just pulled the ham out of the oven when Bill and Fleur arrived, apologizing for being late. When Fleur presented the food she'd brought, Ginny, Luna, and Severus burst into wild peals of laughter. After a beat, even Harry began to laugh as he proudly retrieved the escargot forks he'd cleaned that morning. "When will you learn not to doubt me, Severus?" he asked with a smirk, receiving a swat to his butt with a tea towel in response. 

The evening was a glorious success. The magically expanded table was full of laughter and jokes, stories and reminiscences. Everyone ate until they couldn't possibly eat another bite, and then they had dessert. No one could remember having a better Christmas before, this expanded family and season of good cheer bringing out the best in everyone. 

When the hour grew late, the guests, sated and happy, flooed home, children sleepy in their arms. Harry found himself cuddled with Severus on their couch, Ginny and Luna on the loveseat, their own children warm and happy in their Grimmauld Place bedrooms. 

"You see, Harry," Luna said in her soft musical voice, "everything works out just the way it should. You never need to worry about our family." 

Harry just smiled and wrapped his arms more tightly around his partner. "Our family," he thought. He liked the sound of that and he knew in his heart that it was true. His children had so many who loved them, he had so many people who loved him. His children would never hate him; there was no danger here. He could see that, although everything had indeed changed, there was no need for stress.


End file.
